Williamson County Schools committee removes elementary curriculum book
A Williamson County Schools committee has removed one book from the district’s elementary school English language arts curriculum and restricted seven others.
A report distributed to school board members this week and posted publicly online Tuesday shares the long-awaited outcome of a review of 31 texts called into question by the Williamson County chapter of Moms for Liberty, a conservative parent advocacy group.
Committee determines book has ‘objectionable content’
The committee removed “Walk Two Moons,” a 1994 award-winning juvenile fiction book by Sharon Creech. The book is about a 13-year-old girl with Native American heritage who deals with the disappearance of her mother through her own “outrageous” storytelling while on a road trip between Ohio and Idaho with her grandparents.
The committee determined although the book supports the curriculum and has “strength and value,” it ultimately has “objectionable content.”
“The repetitive nature of the emotionally weighted topics throughout the book, the emotional resonation of the text being extremely high, and overall concern with the timing being the end of the school year all give the committee great concern,” the committee wrote in a conclusion statement contained in the 114-page report posted Tuesday.
The committee stated their decision was not a “value judgement” and they saw the book as having “great merit, however any adjustment to the book’s instruction would influence the value and integrity of this book.”
Moms for Liberty’s objections included “stick figures hanging, cursing and miscarriage, hysterectomy/stillborn and screaming during labor,” group members said during a hearing on the book. In addition, the group in the complaint said the district should “continue to let children have their innocence,” “we are not sending kids to learn about social justice,” and that such topics “need to be taught in the home.”
The committee also set teaching requirements for seven other books that include things such as skipping pages when reading aloud and warning the school counselor ahead of time when a book is being read.
Moms for Liberty could not be immediately reached for comment.
Parents challenge books, classroom content across the state, country
The committee’s recommendations come as schools across the country grapple with increasingly vocal parent concerns about topics taught in the classroom and the role parents should have in choosing what their children are taught.
Last year, Tennessee lawmakers banned certain topics regarding race, implicit bias and some LGBTQ issues from being taught in public schools. This legislative session lawmakers have filed proposed legislation banning additional subject matter.
The chair of Williamson County’s Moms for Liberty chapter, Robin Steenman, also filed the first official grievance with the Tennessee Department of Education pursuant to the state’s ban on critical race theory last summer, but the complaint was ultimately rejected as it didn’t follow the official grievance process.
State guidance allows current students, parents or staff to file a complaint within a set period of time of a teacher or school teaching prohibited content first with the local school district, before appealing to the state.
The books flagged in Williamson County are part of the Wit & Wisdom curriculum published by Great Minds.
“At a time when U.S. elementary reading scores need improvement and reading for fun is less common among kids, the time-tested texts and commonly used materials found in Wit & Wisdom instill a love of the written word, build general knowledge, and prepare young learners for future schooling and careers,” Great Minds spokesperson Chad Colby said in an email Tuesday. “We commend the school district’s process to have parents and educators work together to do what is best for students.
“They have our full support in implementing the recommendations of the committee.”
More than 30 school districts in Tennessee use the Wit & Wisdom curriculum and others have heard some concerns as well. Parents in Sumner County called on Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn to revoke the district’s approval to use the curriculum last summer and members of the Davidson County chapter of Moms for Liberty have made regular appearances at Metro Nashville school board meetings.
School districts have handled concerns in a variety of ways, with some reminding the public of their curriculum review process, shoring up how librarians select materials for school libraries or forming their own committees, like Williamson County and Hamilton County Schools in Chattanooga did.
What’s next?
The review committee was made up of five members, including Williamson County Schools Assistant Superintendent Juli Oyer; Michelle Organ, a PTO representative; Jill Justus, an elementary school principal; Williamson County school board member KC Haugh; and Sharla Bratton, a Williamson County Education Association representative.
Committee members spent more than 60 hours reviewing the instructional materials, including whether each text supported the curriculum, “had strength and value,” and/or had “objectionable content.”
According to board policy, the committee’s review and conclusions are final and do not need board approval.
Those filing the initial complaint or any affected school employees have until Feb. 15 to appeal the committee’s finding. If no appeal is filed by the deadline, the committee’s decision is final.
If students, parents or staff believe the curriculum or lessons include topics prohibited under state law, they can appeal to the Tennessee Department of Education.
Additional restricted books
The initial complaint flagged 31 books and the committee recommended the district continue to use most of them. Seven other books were flagged for use with “instructional adjustments.”
Those books include:
- “Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea by Christine Butterworth”
- “Feelings” by Aliki
- “Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation” by Duncan Tonatiuh
- “Love that Dog” by Sharon Creech
- “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen
- “George v. George: The American Revolution as Seen from Both Sides” by Rosalyn Schanzer
- “The River Between Us” by Richard Peck
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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Anika Exum is a reporter covering Williamson County at The Tennessean, part of the USA Today Network — Tennessee. Reach her at [email protected], 615-347-7313 or on Twitter @aniexum.
Meghan Mangrum covers education for the USA TODAY Network — Tennessee. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @memangrum.
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